Easy Apple Fritter Rings
Craving an old-fashioned fall treat? Try my easy apple fritter rings recipe. Fried to perfection, I’ve nailed the balance between crispy and juicy. The cinnamon sugar coating is the perfect finishing touch.
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Easy Apple Fritter Rings — A Classic Fall Dessert
One of my favorite fall recipes growing up was my mother’s fried apple rings. She would fry them in lard and then coat them in cinnamon sugar. This recipe requires a few ingredients and is very simple and quick to make.
If you’re looking for more apple desserts, try my popular old-fashioned fresh apple cake too.
Enjoy these fried apple rings with a hot cup of coffee, cocoa, or vanilla custard milk.
Equipment
- An apple peeler, corer, and slicer in one — do yourself a favor and get a Johnny Apple Peeler. I use mine regularly and it makes a big difference.
- Bowls
- Heavy-bottomed pot or pan with high sides
- Whisk
- Paper towel or tea towel
Ingredients
This dessert is made with simple, delicious, and budget-friendly ingredients that complement each other beautifully. See my notes and substitutions next to each one.
For The Apple Rings Batter
- All-Purpose Flour
- Milk | If you don’t have milk, use 60% cream to 40% water, a nut or oat milk, rice milk, water with a tablespoon of melted butter, or sour cream/yogurt mixed with water until it’s runny.
- Eggs
- Granulated Sugar
- Apples | The best apples for frying are tart varieties like Granny Smith or Pink Lady. Their firm texture holds up well to cooking, and the tartness balances the added sugar in recipes.
- Fat or Oil | My favorite oil for frying is pastured lard, tallow, or duck fat. Neutral coconut oil is another good one. We never use seed oils, but you can use them in this recipe or whatever oil you normally would to fry and deep fry. Choose something with a higher smoke point, not butter or virgin coconut oil.
For The Cinnamon Sugar
- Granulated Sugar | You can also use vanilla sugar mixed with regular sugar or vanilla sugar on its own — with or without cinnamon.
- Ground Cinnamon | Try using pumpkin spice instead, too!
❁ You’ll find the exact amount of each ingredient below in the recipe card. Make sure to select ‘cook mode’ to keep your screen from turning off as you make it. You can also print the recipe.
Instructions
Step 1: Start by making the batter by first sifting the flour. Combine the sifted flour, milk, eggs, and sugar in a medium-sized bowl.
Stir until combined and set aside.
Step 2: Peel the apples, then cut them in half horizontally — this will make it easier to core the apples.
Core the apples with a knife, or you can use an apple corer if you have one.
If you have a dedicated coring and peeling tool, use it.
Slice the apples to make the rings.
Each apple should make 4 to 5 rings depending on how thick you want your rings and how big your apples are!
Step 3: Pour your choice of oil or fat into your heavy-bottomed pan and let it get very hot without smoking.
Put the apple rings in the batter and then remove them with a fork, one by one, letting the excess batter drip off.
Place into the hot oil and fry on each side for approximately 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
Work in batches and do not overcrowd the pan. Add more oil and let it get back to temperature before proceeding as needed.
Once they are done, carefully remove them with a fork or tongs and place them side by side (do not stack!) on a plate lined with a clean tea towel or paper towel to absorb excess oil.
The best is to use a wire rack instead of a plate. A wire rack fitted over top of a baking sheet is what I do; it catches all the crumbs too.
Step 4: Whisk the cinnamon sugar together in a bowl and dip the still-hot fried apple rings one by one into the mixture before placing them on a platter to serve.
Serve hot to warm!
Hint: The ideal temperature for frying is 325° to 375° F. If you don’t have a thermometer to check, place a wooden spoon directly into the oil, if you see bubbles forming and bubbling up at the bottom of the spoon, it is hot enough to fry.
Substitutions & Variations
- Gluten-free | Easily make these fried apple rings gluten-free by substituting cornstarch for flour.
- Vanilla Sugar | Instead of cinnamon sugar, use vanilla sugar. Or mix vanilla sugar into the cinnamon sugar.
- Caramel | A caramel sauce or dulce de leche makes a delicious dip for these rings.
Storage
Fried apple fritter rings are really best when made and eaten right away.
Store your Apple Fritters in an airtight container on the counter. If you made too many and need to freeze a couple, you can do that too. Reheat them in your oven until crispy before you eat them.
How To Keep Apple Fritter Rings From Getting Soggy
- Make sure you’ve cooked them long enough.
- Make sure the oil or fat is hot enough.
- Place the cooked rings directly onto a paper towel or a clean tea towel after they come out of the oil. The best is to use a wire rack instead of a plate.
- Let the oil get back up to temperature between adding new rings.
- Do not stack apple fritter rings, especially when hot.
Related
Looking for other recipes like these apple fritter rings? Try these:
Equipment
- 2 Bowls
- Heavy-bottomed pot or pan with high sides
- Whisk, spoons etc.
- Paper towel or tea towel
- Apple peeler/corer or a vegetable peeler and knife
Ingredients
For The Apple Ring Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 large apples
- 1 cup lard or fat or oil of your choice
For The Cinnamon Sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar you can also use vanilla sugar, maple sugar, or a mixture.
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Start by making the batter by first sifting the flour. Combine the sifted flour, milk, eggs, and sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Stir until combined and set aside.
- If you have a dedicated coring and peeling tool, use it. Otherwise a vegetable peeler will do. Peel the apples, then cut them in half horizontally — this will make it easier to core the apples.
- Core the apples with a knife, or you can use an apple corer if you have one.
- Slice the apples to make the rings.Each apple should make 4 to 5 rings depending on how thick you want your rings and how big your apples are!
- Pour your choice of oil or fat into your heavy-bottomed pan and let it get very hot without smoking. The ideal temperature for frying is 325° to 375° F.
- Put the apple rings in the batter and then remove them with a fork, one by one, letting the excess batter drip off.
- Place into the hot oil and fry on each side for approximately 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
- Work in batches and do not overcrowd the pan. Add more oil and let it get back to temperature before proceeding as needed.
- Once they are done, carefully remove them with a fork or tongs and place them side by side (do not stack!) on a plate lined with a clean tea towel or paper towel to absorb excess oil.
- The best is to use a wire rack instead of a plate. A wire rack fitted over top of a baking sheet is what I do; it catches all the crumbs too.
- Whisk the cinnamon sugar together in a bowl and dip the still-hot fried apple rings one by one into the mixture before placing them on a platter to serve.
- Serve hot to warm!
Notes
- Make sure you’ve cooked them long enough.
- Make sure the oil or fat is hot enough.
- Place the cooked rings directly onto a paper towel or a clean tea towel after they come out of the oil. The best is to use a wire rack instead of a plate.
- Let the oil get back up to temperature between adding new rings.
- Do not stack apple fritter rings, especially when hot.
